Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/12/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Folks, I wanted to say that I have winced a couple of times reading the peremptory tones in some of the messages telling Brian to remove the [Leica] tag from the subject line in the header. Expressing one's opinion once about this is perhaps reasonable; using the imperative mode or sending several messages about it is not. Since no one else has pointed this out lately, I guess I'll do it. The Leica users' list is run from a machine in Brian's basement, by Brian. It's run very well, very smoothly, for the most part. No one pays Brian to do this -- he does it because he wants to. He's not a sysop at your ISP -- if you care to check around, you'll find he's quite a well-known computer scientist with a long history of contributions and that he directs a research lab at a major computer company. He doesn't work for you in any sense. I suggest that you think of Brian as your host, and yourselves as invited guests. The analogy isn't a bad one. You aren't paying for this. Brian provides the place where we all meet, and he handles the administrative tasks that make it possible. If you're opposed to the subject line tag, it's one thing to send a quick note politely expressing your opinion about this. It's another thing to say, "The subject line should not be cluttered with un-needed words," or "Please remove this space occupier," which despite the use of the word "please" is not a very nice way to talk to your host. If you were a guest in my house and I served you white wine and you had expected red wine and said to me, "Please remove this inappropriate wine" or "Please give me red wine" as though I were a waiter, I would not invite you back. You might say to me that you really preferred red wine, as some people did -- that's one thing; telling me that red wine should not be served or that I should please bring you red wine is quite another. Any of us is welcome to start a mailing list -- that's a great thing about the Internet. If you really feel so uncomfortable about something your host does that you want to order your host around or send four or five messages about it (and four or five messages on this subject have been sent by some individuals), perhaps you should consider running your own mailing list. - -Patrick P.S. I do not presume to speak for Brian here. For all I know he may disagree with me. These are my own opinions.